A Ripple in the Sea
by Ontoria
Summary: Kaiya and Miles have set off on a Pokemon journey, but it isn't long before they discover that being a Trainer isn't all just a game. Many changes and evils await them. Please R&R.
1. Coal the Nanowolf

A Ripple in the Sea  
  
Author's Notes: It truly didn't start out as Pokemon, but I found that Pokemon was the only thing able to fill in the odd blanks of this story that was a daydream I had one night before going to sleep. It's more anime- style-ish but hopefully it turns out good still. I've never written a Pokemon story before, it's a bit exciting. Anyway, this story actually fits many of the genres, I just picked two of the main ones. I'll try to add a new chapter as often as I can. I WILL do cliffhangers as it's a wonderful way to drive readers crazy and keep them interested at the same time.  
  
Disclaimer: Heh, disclaimer is a funny word. It sounds like "I'm dis- claiming something"like, I'm un-claiming it or something, and I guess I am. Or I could just be "dissin' claimers" or...well anyway, I don't own Pokemon, but a lot of the characters are my own original ideas, and I'd like to keep it as so.  
  
***  
Perhaps destiny rely's on the strange actions taken by humans who don't know what their life will amount to in the end. Destiny may weave itself deep into the heart of every person and shade their eyes while it sucks away at their soul. This way, if a mother was to have a child and treat him just as she intends, and her motherhood plans are rewarded when her baby grows into a man, only to be the dirtiest and the rudest of all the boys he'd grown up with. No mother can control the way the plants shall look after they bloom whether or not she's watered them properly. It is all partially up to her, and partially up to the independent child, who decides what is to become of himself.  
Somehow deep inside of the heart is a feeling, a feeling or worry- over what one cannot control. This same feeling lives and eats away the weak, and this same feeling is conquered by the determined who know and do not fear surprises or challenges, or changes.  
Kaiya, with her soft blue eyes, and smooth skin of cream, was known herself to ponder the actual meaning of her existence. Her long, elegant fingers dropped themselves through her hair, which was in itself like a masterpiece of gentle, flowing, unified off white, though darker then her light skin and lighter then the lightest blonde. It reached no longer then the lower ends of her shoulder blades, but was so intensely layered each strand could be considered it's own original wanderer. Kaiya was, however, no greater in beauty then the stars of the night sky, shimmering in all their pride. Nothing in the form of a female would look upon Kaiya without the slightest envy, no one but the most wondrously made beings, for Kaiya was not a perfection.  
She looked now into the small screen of her desk computer, attempting to install some sort of software. Her thoughts of playing some time-taking PC game to keep her from being bored to tears were quickly interrupted by a banging-like knocking on the window. She jumped, startled and peered dumbly at the window in surprise.  
"Miles?" Her soft voice said, in a confused, stupefied manner.  
Kaiya was very intelligent, though sometimes her superior daydreams led to react differently then the clearer-minded person.  
"Lemme in Kai don't you know it's rude to keep folks waiting at the window." Was the boy's reply.  
Miles, full of sarcasm and a dull sense of humor, was one of Kaiya's friends since the first grade. They'd played cafeteria pranks and such when they were young, but now it seemed as if only one was growing any older. Miles had a blob of unbrushed black strands for hair, and small, sharp brown eyes that seemed to dig into everyone's business. He did, however, have a serious side just as his wild hair was matched with nice, casual clothes, giving him a "slob with dignity" look. This conflict of style was one of the few things Miles and Kaiya shared. Though Kaiya's clothes consisted of a single colored tank top, which was expected of a girl her age, though covered in the summer by a black vest with pockets on either side and a zipper running down the middle, and in the winter, a loose black jacket she'd wear over her shirts. However, she always wore some form of bell bottomed pants, usually quite lose starting below the knees. She refused to completely ignore the fashion at the time, but wouldn't submit to it all together.  
"Kaiya!" Called Miles from the window, becoming impatient.  
"Hey, Miles, I have a door." She said, opening the window.  
"Yeah, that's nice." He said, gazing about her room with a triumphant look. The walls were covered in posters of various Pokemon, and her desk was cluttered with books about them as well as paperweights, Pokemon dolls were aligned on her bed. The most spotted of them was Eevee, she seemed to have a passion for that adorable bundle of fur.  
"Hey, guess what?" Miles asking in a toying tone.  
"Yeah?" Kaiya answered, stretching her fingers.  
"I wanna show ya something cool, you up to it?" He asked.  
"Sure, okay, nothing better to do then mope around, eh?" She responded, picking up her white backpack and slinging it dutifully over her shoulder.  
Miles nodded excitedly and practically leaped back out the window.  
"Come on or I'll wash my pants!" He yelped from the ground below her window.  
"Yeah, yeah, okay..." Kaiya said, yawning while deliberately walking slowly down her ancient looking hallway. She stopped briefly next to her older sister, Juna's room and called out to her.  
"'Ey, uh, Juna, I'm going somewhere with Miles for a bit okay?"  
Juna was far more into her compact CD player then what her little sister had to say. Or perhaps it'd invaded her ear drums so constantly she'd became deaf. Either way, Kaiya was forced to restate her message in a louder tone.  
"Juna! I'm leaving!" She yelled.  
"Like I care." Juna replied, waving her sister her dismissal.  
Kaiya sighed. She was sure Juna thought of her as nothing more then an annoyance and would be glad if nothing else for her to leave. Kaiya sulked through the kitchen and out the front door, sweeping it softly shut behind her. Once Juna was sure her little sister was out of sight, she removed the big headphones and flopped upside down to peer under her bed. She held her long blonde hair back with one hand and pulled a band and a package from under the bed with the other. Juna sat and smiled softly down at the delicately wrapped package with it's pink ribbon and Pokemon theme paper. Juna then tied one more thing onto the already appealing ribbon. A small, crystal charm shaped in the form of an Eevee. It made the perfect finish to the package far too perfect to be destroyed. She slowly pushed herself off her luxury canopy bed, yawning, and searched the floor with her bare feet until she discovered her slippers.  
Juna tiptoed through the ancient hallway to her sister's empty room, and crept in, placed the package carefully on the bed, along with an envelope containing her hand-made card. Juna nodded, for she knew exactly what Miles was up to.  
  
Kaiya walked in silence down the sidewalk her small town while Miles chatted excitedly about completely random subjects, but refused to let Kaiya know where the were destined. He was quite determined to keep it a secret.  
"Almost there." He said at last as they neared the one, and only park located in their town. Kaiya laughed as he performed a spin in mid-air.  
"Whatever you're up to, it must be pretty important." She declared.  
"Yes! Yes, now close your eyes you can't look anymore it'll ruin it!" He demanded, and discontinued walking until she'd closed her eyes. He led her the rest of the way by playing the childish "follow my voice" game. Kaiya paid no mind, however, she focused on how the wind smelled strangely like cottage cheese. She couldn't recall ever being in a part of town that smelled as such, and began to wonder if perhaps she was only dreKaiyang, and her mother's cooking was breaking through her senses.  
"Stop. We're here. Open your eyes Kai!" Miles shouted in delight.  
Kaiya's eyes shot open and she was completely shocked to see before her a feast set precisely on a long, wooden picnic table. There were all sorts of foods including crisp potato chips, huge, full pickles, a bowl of homemade cole slaw as well as potato salad, hot dogs, and a huge vanilla cake with tiny figurines of all Kaiya's favorite Pokemon. The icing on her cake spelled out "Happy 16th Birthday!".  
"Surprise!" Yelled out the assembled party, all friends she'd known a long time.  
Kaiya's face went from that of surprise to cheerful at the sight of her friends. She was in fact so deeply touched, her eyes quickly filled with moisture-no one had ever thrown her a surprise party.  
"Aw, Kaiya, no blubbering on your birthday!" One of her friend, Alore, chimed.  
"It's her party she can cry if she want's to, cry if she wants to..." Another friend of Kaiya's sang out. Kaiya laughed and cried at the same time.  
"Thanks you guys. It really means a lot to me." She whispered hardly loud enough to be heard. Miles handed her a tissue from his pocket and motioned for them to sit. Kaiya took her place in front of her cake, trying to quickly wipe her eyes so no one would think she was upset. She couldn't believe how much her friends cared about her-to do all this! She was sure she wasn't worth all the trouble.  
They all gathered around to help themselves to all the foods-all but the cake. That was for dessert. Kaiya ate very little but still enjoyed the bit she did eat.  
"Alright, who made the potato salad! It needs mustard..." Miles said, looking accusingly at the female party guests.  
"No it was Izzy, must have been Izzy cause we all know he can't cook." Replied one of the girls, giggling and reaching across to punch Izzy playfully. Izzy, the freckled red-headed kid, quickly dodged and shook his head.  
"I cook better that any of ye." He said, crossing his arms.  
"Ah whatever, it's time for the cake!" Miles said.  
The candles were lit and Kaiya was forced to bear the twenty second wait while her friends sang a very out-of-tune "happy birthday" song, before she blew out the candles.  
"You guys need singing classes." She joked, sticking her tongue out and rolling her eyes back.  
"Aw, hey man, don't make me bust out my hymnal." Said another of the party members.  
"Ha!" Kaiya said, trying to imagine him singing to the beat of a piano. This response was rewarded promptly when a blob of sugary icing and cake smacked her against the forehead.  
"Yeah! Food fight!"  
  
After an hour-long festival of throwing cake at each other, no one was left clean or half-decent looking. The fight had been fun, though now they were limited to eating cake off their own clothes. The table was covered in icing at well, and now Izzy had elected himself to find each of the little Pokemon figurines who had been slung about during the cake throwing party.  
Suddenly, as if she'd just remembered something, Alore pointed to the heaping pile of wrapped presents.  
"Can she open them now?" Alore asked Miles, who seemed to be the founder of the entire party.  
"Yeah, of course, that's the last thing to do." Miles replied.  
They waited while Kaiya and Alore cleaned the sticky icing off the picnic table and made their three trips to the trash barrel and back in the process. It was quite laboring, to them.  
"Okay, you have tons of presents so the plan is open, say thanks, put it aside, then go right to the next one, that way we may get done in thirty minutes before everyone has to go." Miles explained.  
Kaiya designated two "present handers", two "trash throwers" and a backup just incase she fainted. Miles made himself the "official Kaiya's birthday party present opening supervisor" to keep everyone in order. This made the whole process quite easy, and somewhat more like a race. Kaiya did, however, love everyone's gifts. Most were Pokemon, especially Eevee related gifts, some of these gifts being clothes, a waterbottle, a baseball cap, board games, jewelry, blankets, CDs, and even an Eevee decorated phone cover for her cell phone. Her friends had gone all out this year, it seemed.  
At last, after every package had been opened, Miles presented to Kaiya his present. It was not wrapped or fancied up, in fact, all she did was pull it from a paper bag. Kaiya was confused.  
"You got me a belt Miles...?" She thought out loud. She wasn't dissatisfied with the gift, it was just very unlike Miles to give a gift such as a belt. Last year he'd given her a rubber chicken, and the year before that a ship in a bottle, and always silly little things. She wondered if perhaps the belt was a trick belt-it did look rather strange. But it wasn't.  
"Not just ANY belt, Kai. This is a special belt Pokemon trainer wear to hold their Pokeballs, see?" He explained, digging from his pocket a single, round Pokeball, and holding it out for her to take.  
The blood had drained from Kaiya's head and she was unable to move and just stared blankly in astonishment.  
"Oh my God." She whispered, now starting to feel like that backup she'd assigned for fainting would come in handy after all.  
"Take it, go on." Miles said, urging her on.  
With shaky hands, Kaiya took the Pokeball from Miles's hand and simply stared at it-again so full of thoughts her body lacked the normal reactions.  
"Hey, gonna try it out?" Said the guy who'd thrown cake at her.  
She nodded and stood up, summoning the creature from inside the Pokeball.  
"Pokeball go!" A line she'd shouted many times as a child, playing pretend Pokemon with friends. Now, she thought, this was real.  
Out from inside appeared a light that slowly formed into the image of a black Pokemon, with green eyes and short ears that seemed to want to be erect, but couldn't quite manage it, and flopped down the sides of it's head. It's fur was black with a silvery undercoat, giving the Pokemon a magnificent shine to it's fluffy fur. It's tail was considerably fluffier then the rest of it's fur. The pokemon looked somewhat similar to a puppy or a rabbit, or even a pig in some aspects.  
"This is Nanowolf. We looked everywhere for an Eevee, but we had no luck. Nanowolf is kind of similar to an Eevee, maybe..." Alore said, walking up behind Kaiya.  
"Naanaannoo." Howled the young Nanowolf.  
"He sure is playful." Miles commented with a smirk.  
Kaiya was still at a loss for words when the Nanowolf approached her curiously, wagging it's fluffy long tail high in the air. Kaiya bend to her knees and held out a hand for Nanowolf to sniff. The young pup made such a dramatic deal of sniffing every inch of her then jumping up to lick her playfully all over the face. Kaiya giggled happily.  
"I'll name you Coal, because your fur is as dark as coal. But it makes you adorable." She said, kissing him on the nose.  
"Naaannooo!" Coal yelped excitedly and began to chase after his tail.  
  
"Thanks Miles, you're great." Kaiya said.  
"It's from everyone. So, that means you're coming right?" Miles asked quickly.  
"Coming where?" Kaiya asked, confused.  
"To the Annual Pokemon Tournament in Sablesky, a few towns away..." Miles answered.  
"Oi..." Said Kaiya.  
"You always said you wanted to be a Pokemon trainer." Miles persisted.  
Kaiya watched Coal bound around her feet happily.  
"Okay." She said hesitantly.  
"Yeah! We'll leave tomorrow afternoon! I'll take my Diglett. Meet me at the telephone pole Kai. And don't worry-you're mom and sister know already!" Miles said happily, but his voice now seemed far away from Kaiya, she wondered how this would change her destiny. 


	2. Meet Ryumo and Luci

A Ripple in the Sea (Ch 2)  
  
Author's Notes: I made a weird mistake on Chapter 1, their was a word supposed to be "dreaming" but it turned into "dreKaiyang" because Kaiya's original name was Ami but I used "find and replace" to change it to Kaiya, and didn't catch that on the proofreading. Sorry! _  
  
On another note, someone kindly asked me to separate my paragraphs with spaces, so that I shall do. I hope it reads better this way. Thanks for your advice Mel. Enjoy Chapter 2 and please Review after you've read everyone!  
  
***  
  
Miles stood with his backpack over one shoulder next to a giant telephone pole. In his hand was a Pokeball containing Diglett, a Pokemon he'd caught himself about a year back. He waited now for Kaiya, the lovely, shy girl he'd known for so long, so that they may finally start their journey to Sablesky, the great city where they were to watch one of the most exciting and most talked about events of all times-The Annual Sablesky Town Pokemon Tournament and Show. There was simply nothing like this tournament, he thought to himself, simply nothing in it's originality conception. A small breeze blew Miles's wild, stringy hair out of his face as he watched the horizon with content.  
  
"Ah, Diglett, if only girls didn't take an hour to brush their hair!" He said, impatiently, referring to Kaiya. However, he knew she wasn't yet late.  
He released Diglett from the Pokeball and crouched down, supporting his back against the tall wooden pole. It wasn't long when he saw the shape of Kaiya running towards him up a small hill where all the houses and buildings were found.  
"Sorry-was-hurrying!" She panted, stopping in front of him with her hands on her knees, stooping over to gain large breaths. She looked up and then to Diglett and smiled. "Hi Diglett!" She chimed happily, laughing for seemingly no reason.  
"Well, shall we get going? And I like the gloves-nice." Miles said.  
Kaiya looked at her arms, and nodded. Her sister had given her pretty black, elbow length gloves that went well with her clothing. She silently thanked Juna for all her fashion sense, as she hadn't any. Then, pressing the palm of her hand against her forehead, she nodded once more.  
"Thank you Miles. Ready to go then?"  
"Born ready." Was his reply.  
  
A short walk it was to Sablesky. The city made of metal and grass that spread wide across a large area. It was home to many people who held pride in their city, especially during the great tournament. Miles and Kaiya had just entered the city and were imediately handed brochures and coupons of all sorts. Voices saying "Hey, stay at this hotel!" or "Balcony seating available!" rang out from everywhere and the two had to push their way through the unyielding advertisers.  
  
"I guess we'll need to buy tickets huh." Kaiya said after they'd escaped the crazy city-folks.  
"Not necessarily. Look Kai, I've been talking to this guy who seems to know an easy, FREE way to get into this thing. Lets go try it out, eh?" Miles said, stretching his arms above him lazily.  
"I don't know..." She said, sounding a bit worried, "Maybe this was a bad idea Miles...heh." She concluded.  
"Ridiculous. My idea? Bad? Don't make me laugh. Come on, it'll save money." Miles persisted.  
"Yeah, fine then. But if we get into some kind of trouble-"  
"We won't"  
This said, Kaiya followed Miles to a small, wooden building near the stadium. It looked lonely amidst all the tall, metal buildings. Small trees dotted the yard as well. Miles quickly knocked on the giant, wooden door.  
"Hey Ryumo, it's Miles." He said loudly.  
  
The door creaked open and a tall, heavily build guy answered. His hair was brown and dull, hanging limply down either side of his face. He had brown eyes to match his hair. He wore a big, blue shirt with the logo for the Sablesky Pokemon Tournament printed on the front, with blue jeans to accompany it. He smiled when he saw Miles.  
"Oh, Ey there Mike." He said, his voice deep, and his talk slow.  
"Hey Ryumo, and it's Miles." Miles corrected, with a smirk.  
"Uh, oh yeah...that's right..." Said Ryumo, sounding confused.  
"And this is my good friend Kaiya, but friends call her Kai." Miles said, introducing Kaiya, who had purposely waited at the edge of the sidewalk.  
"Ah, Ey there Kayla. How are things...down at the end of the uh sidewalk, anyway?" He said with a short wave.  
Kaiya just smiled and stared at the sidewalk.  
"She's kind of shy." Miles explained, "Anyway, we're here because you said you could get us in to the tournament for free?" Miles said, going to the topic.  
Ryumo nodded in his slow fashion, and stepped back into his doorway, holding out a hand to invite the guests in while so that he may search for a cup to pour up his coffee. Miles stepped inside, grateful for the invite and convinced Kaiya to join them. The interior of the home was so similar to the outside, one couldn't be sure anything had really changed from one point to the other, perhaps with the exception of the television, cabinets, couches and other inside items. The walls were brown, and the floors were dark green. This reminded Kaiya of a forest, though Miles paid no mind to his surroundings.  
  
Ryumo invited the two of them to be seated on the sofa, while he searched through the kitchen for his coffee cup. If only cups would stay glued to the cabinet, he thought. The dusty old cup was sitting in clear view in the living room on the table, where Ryumo had left it when he'd gone to answer the door.  
  
Now Miles and Kaiya sat on the couch next to a frisky female with thick, brown curls that framed her face and continued down her back a ways. Miles wondered how long it'd be if it wasn't curly, as it was already quite long. She had a clip in her hair to keep it from falling into her face, and the only part allowed to trespass onto her face were the bangs, which they assumed she'd straightened then recurled them just once for big, poofy round bangs that split either way at the rim of her nose. Her eyes were green with specks of shimmering gold and her face was smooth and clear, other then the occasional freckle dotting her cheeks. These freckles, however, were much more plentiful all down her arms. She wore a pink shirt that gave her skin no room for air, and pink pants of the same quality.  
  
"Hi, I'm Luci. You came about the battle then?" The girls said in a voice Miles and Kaiya recognized from their school cheerleaders. Miles adored Luci's looks, but her behavior repelled his thoughts from developing further and he blinked twice without word, surprising Kaiya as she'd known him to be the one who always had something to say.  
"The battle? You mean the tournament?" Kaiya asked.  
"Oh my...don't tell me you didn't KNOW about the battle?" Luci gasped in her own version of shock.  
  
Miles broke from his surprise, and pretended nothing had happened. He wouldn't have allowed an actual conversation to have taken place in his absence, after all. Miles cleared his throat importantly and laid himself back on the sofa.  
"Luci, this is my good friend Kaiya, and Kaiya, this is Luci, Ryumo's fourteen year old sister." Miles explained, "And the battle is just how we'll get into this thing for free, Kai." He finished. Ryumo, who's given up on finding his coffee cup, joined them on the sofa. He instinctively reached to the coffee table, picked up the old mug from where he'd set it, and began sipping from it unknowingly, while shaking his head in wonderment at the company.  
"The battle, oh, uh, yeah...it'll be this afternoon. You know, Mike, uh, and uh, Kayla, whoever wins gets to sit right up in front." Said Ryumo, nodding and sipping once more from his coffee cup.  
"Yeah, that's what I was going to say..." Miles said, "Kai, all we have to do is enter this "junior trainer battle" thing and we'll get right in, front row hopefully. Though the people in the front do tend to get hit by flying gravel, or salt water shooting at high speeds, or-"  
"Anyway," Luci interrupted, "it's basically a fight for your seat kind of deal. I know my precious Oddish, or even my Ladyba could beat any of those JUNIOR trainers." She said, tilting her head in a victorious manner.  
  
Kaiya's head was now swimming in thoughts. She looked nervously away from Luci and the others and wondered if Coal could manage to fight these "junior trainers" they spoke of. As much as she knew, Coal had never fought in a Pokemon battle before. She wasn't sure her little companion was strong enough to go against other Pokemon. Everyone else seemed quite confident.  
  
"I'm just glad you don't have to do anything but participate to get in." Miles said, winking at Kaiya and laughing, his brown eyes dancing along. Kaiya's face turned red in embarrassment, but she breathed an internal sigh of relief. Perhaps without worrying so much about losing, she'd be able to concentrate more accurately.  
  
A small gathering of novice trainers were assembled near the docks at the edge of Sablesky town. They were now socializing and eating, some practicing or preparing for their battles. The sun was just beginning to hand lower in the sky, and these mini-battles were scheduled to begin soon, and last until the moon's reflection cast over the lake, or late evening perhaps. Now that the famous Sable Sky was beginning to darken, and turn pink, the trainers went to meet their opponents. Ryumo, at eighteen, was the oldest of these "beginners" and was in charge of judging a portion of the battles as he'd attended them every year.  
  
"Okay, uh, now uh...lets keep this clean ya'll...uh, 'cause we don't want any of um, that you know, dirty talking and cheating goin' on around here. Just, uh, oh yeah, remember that other more experienced people gonna' be watchin' ya here and uh, this aint no place to be poor excuses for trainers, eh?" Ryumo coached. Though, no matter, Miles had watched the group and could tell they'd have no intentions to cheat or do anything else to make themselves disqualify. They'd lose their free tickets. There was a mall crowd forming around the docks to watch the new trainers battle their pokemon. The local citizens came to cheer on and encourage them to do their best.  
  
Kaiya had tied her hair back into a band to keep her from seeming as nervous as she felt. She repeated all Coal's attacks over and over in her head for when she was afraid she tended to forget easily. Now she hoped to herself she'd do good, and not forget anything.  
  
While the trainers found their opponents, Miles reminded Kaiya she wouldn't have to win to get into the tournament. She found this less-then- comforting as now she'd still focused on embarrassing herself somehow.  
  
"Hey, are you Kaiya?" A voice from behind her asked, causing Kaiya to shudder and spin around, almost tripping over her own feet in her panic.  
"Uh huh...yeah." Kaiya said, rubbing the side of her face uncomfortably.  
"Hi, my name is Piroli, I'm to be your opponent tonight." Said the little girl, smiling, "But just because I'm young doesn't mean I'm bad." She finished.  
"Yeah, I know. It's fine. I'm Kaiya, as you know." Kaiya said half- heartedly, as her mind still quavered for safety.  
"Let's battle then!" Piroli said cheerfully.  
  
Battle they did. Piroli sent forth her Nidoran, the male, and Kaiya used Coal.  
"Hm, Nidoran, try using...scratch..." The girl ordered. Her Nidoran went right to work, clawing intensely at Coal, who yelped out in surprise. Kaiya didn't take long to think.  
"Quick attack, Coal. It shouldn't be hard." She said comfortingly. Coal ran at the Nidoran, and attacked it before it had a chance to dodge. The Nidoran flinched long enough for Coal to let out a victorious howling, raising it's confidence.  
"Look out it hasn't had enough yet!" Kaiya shouted quickly when she saw the Nidoran slowly clamber to it's feet. Coal took a step back, his tail wagging playfully.  
"Nidoran! Now attack!" Piroli instructed.  
Nidoran charged once more at Coal. Coal ran to the side to avoid the attack but wasn't fast enough to avoid it completely.  
"Turn an bite!" Yelled Kaiya, seeing it as the perfect opportunity to strike back. Coal quickly understood and snapped around, sinking his teeth into the side of Nidoran, and quickly releasing his grip.  
"Aah! Nidoran! That was insane!" Piroli shouted, jumping in a circle of worry. Nidoran did not get up. Coal had done it.  
  
"Looks like you're a bit stronger then I though you'd be." Kaiya said as coal slobbered over her hands happily, "and I can tell if I train you, you'll do even better eh?" She said, giggling and patting him on the head.  
"Naaanaaanno." Coal chanted, prancing around her feet while wagging his tail pointlessly. Piroli collected Nidoran and walked over to Kaiya.  
"Oh, that was actually really cool. It doesn't really matter that much-I'll just make him stronger, and next time Coal will run cowering." Said Piroli, her happiness amazed Kaiya.  
"Heheh, perhaps so then." Kaiya said.  
Meanwhile, Miles and his opponent, Valso, had quite a set back in their battle, and were attracting the eyes of a large portion of the crowd. Their battle was taking longer then most and for a reason Miles had never imagined.  
"Diglett? Hello down there!" He shouted, peering down into a hole in the ground that seemed to never end. At the same time Valso had his head glaring up into a nearby tree.  
"Mankey come down here and finish this battle!" He said in frustration, but the Mankey was far more interested in the bananas located on the top branch of the tree.  
"Hey Miles, what's going on, you're holding everyone up." Kaiya said, just now approaching the situation, Piroli followed close behind.  
"Uh, well I told Diglett to dig a hole, but it seems he decided not to stop digging." Miles said, annoyed.  
"And I told my Mankey to climb this tree to avoid Diglett's surprise attack, but now it won't get OUT of the tree." Valso stated, equally disturbed by his Pokemon's behavior. Kaiya giggled.  
"I find that amusing Miles." She said, holding back more intense giggles.  
  
She sat down on a blanket nearby with Luci and Ryumo. They offered her some sandwiches while they waited for Miles and Valso to sort out their issues. She gratefully accepted.  
"How did Coal do?" Luci asked, "Oddish really pummeled that other trainer's Pokemon, I forgot what it was." She said with a stroke of pride.  
"Coal did good, I think. He won..." She said softly.  
"Ar, not all about the win, uh, right eh? The closer, uh, the closer you and your Pokemon get, the better it'll fight for ya." Ryumo stated.  
"I hope Coal likes me..." Kaiya said, biting into her sandwich. The moon had risen, and Miles and Valso had "tied" in their battle.  
  
Once Miles had joined them, Ryumo invited the two to spend the night at their house, as the hotels were always crowded at this time of the year. Miles agreed, and though Kaiya felt a bit insecure, she was far too tired to pose an argument.  
  
"Nice show with that uh, that Diglett." Said Ryumo on the way back, chuckling.  
Miles took the kidding lightly and simply shook his head.  
"I should have named him the Legendary Diganator, I mean, he could probably tell me what the other side of the world looks like." Miles said.  
"Yeah...'I'll be back!-not!'" Luci joked, taking on a strange, manly accent as she said it.  
"But, you got him back, right?" Kaiya asked.  
"Oh yeah, I got a fishing line, an alarm clock..." Miles trailed off, yawning.  
  
The rest of the time was quiet, as the entire party was tired now, and they had a Tournament to attend bright and early the very next morning... 


End file.
